This Mountain bike skills post covers tips on riding steep descents and braking whilst riding downhill. Let us know what you think and share your experiences.

Steep Descents 

• Get your weight back use the neutral position as a starting point. It can be a subtle weight shift, or it can be extreme shift.
• Get off the saddle, move back, lower your center of gravity
• Speed can be your friend. Just don't ride out of control

 If you are skidding to slow down while descending, you are out of control

• Stay loose! Let your body and your bike do the work.
• Do not grip the saddle with your thighs. It's unstable and ineffective.
• Heels down

Braking? I still remember at camp when our coach at camp asked who among us were told to never use the front brake. Every single person's hand went up. We were all told, rather, misinformed, that the best way to stay out of trouble with your front brake is to never use it. Wrong-o!!! The best was to stay out of trouble with your front brake is to learn how to use it correctly! Here's some of the great things we spent half a day working on:

The front brake is over 60% of your braking power. The trick is to use it properly. Panic grabs are a guaranteed endo.

• Practice going down a steep slope using only your front brake to slow the bike. Do not skid!!
• Use one or two fingers for braking, not your whole hand.
• Feathering, modulation - gentle repeated "pumping" action to brake, instead of a grab. If you are skidding your bike, you are braking wrong, most likely using too much rear brake. This is extremely destructive to the trails.
• The way your brakes feel can be adjusted ( tight or soft) , so can the amount of movement(reach) that the lever has. Small hands will typically need the reach adjusted inward. I can't believe the difference a reach adjustment made for me! (thank you, Eric!!)

Author: Formica